Birmingham-based MR. BONES & THE DREAMERS seem keen to be obstinate and do this without compromise. Their name alone is one of those lengthy, Orchestral Manoeuvres-style handles which never sits easily and their ambitious sound is full of sweeping, portentous strings. Their press release re-inforces this 'us against the world' idea with its' literate murmurings of a band who “have created their own delightfully insular world in stark, defiant contrast to their musical peers.” So there.
By now you've probably worked out that they ain't gonna sound like The Enemy. Which is fine by me. Having said that, these intense, windblown songs come from a very different world from the one where the Pop universe of 2009 holds sway. TThe lead track from their 'In The Absence of Light' EP, 'Are These Actual Miles?'boasts a title that's a boon for the chin strokers. Are they discussing accruing air miles? Is it an obscure reference to Roger Bannister's four-minute mile? Not according to frontman Kieran Goddard, matey. 'Are These Actual Miles?' apparently refers to a story of “a man who's lost the ability to distinguish between what is moving and what is static.” Blooming heck.
The song itself aspires to something equally grandiose. The murmuring piano and mournful cello dominating the intro sell you a dummy, because when you begin to suspect it might be an understated treat, the band – including full-on string section – smack you in the face with their epic intent. As you may have imagined, Goddard has one of those reaching, yearning voices and while he doesn't quite go the whole Bono, his oblique soul-searching (“I don't know why the buildings look so strained from my window”) doesn't exactly make for yer common or garden boy-meets-girl teenage thrill.
|
Nominal B-side, 'Time To Rest' is even more epic in intent, throwing in an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink crescendo to take you home. It leaves your reviewer with mixed feelings. Despite the bluster and epic, skyscraping desire, Mr. Bones & The Dreamers – so far – sound like they might be making a whole lotta noise about a lot of abstraction that most of us won't be able to get our heads around. 'Are These Actual Miles?' intrigues, but doesn't wholly convince either.
|
